Techniques in Painting Concrete – From Dull to Interesting
Techniques in painting concrete are intended to turn the gray slabs into more visually appealing floors. Concrete is durable and practical, but few people find it interesting or attractive. It’s just one of those materials you need to use in garages, foundations, basement floors and driveways. The dull gray may work in driveways, but it’s boring as a garage or family room floor. Fortunately, a contractor can use one of the concrete painting techniques to improve the floor’s appearance.
Before any concrete floor can be painted, it must be cleaned. This is true for both a new and old floor. When concrete is new, it goes through a curing process in which the excess moisture in the concrete rises to the surface and evaporates. Once this process is completed, the floor needs to be cleaned in order to remove stains and concrete dust. After the floor is cleaned, it can be painted or stained.
Techniques in Painting Concrete
On older floors, the same process is followed except there’s an additional step. After cleaning, floor cracks and holes need to be patched. It’s not unusual for older concrete floors to have holes where anchors have been installed and removed. There’s also a good chance there will be a lot of oil and dirt stains from cars. After a thorough cleaning and patching, the concrete floor can be painted.
Some people choose to have their basement floors painted. Once again, the same process is followed, because concrete is concrete. But you will want to choose a color that matches your decorative scheme. If you have a concrete floor in a room used as a family room, the floor can be painted and then decorative stenciling added. In fact, many people use one of the techniques in painting concrete to create unusual floor patterns for themed rooms.
Techniques in painting concrete that contractors use include staining or painting. Many people don’t know concrete stain exists. It’s specially formulated to bond to a clean concrete floor. The same is true for epoxy paint which dries shiny and is extremely durable. Concrete floors can also be painted with latex paint, but it’s crucial that the floor be thoroughly cleaned, primed and sealed.
The entire process for concrete painting includes cleaning, patching, priming, painting and sealing. If the painting process is followed carefully, there will be no peeling. That’s an excellent reason for hiring a contractor who can ensure the job is done correctly. This is one job you don’t want to have to do again, because a do-it-yourself job didn’t turn out well. Removing paint from concrete is not easy.
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